23 December 2016

Barnet PCN - 10 minute grace periods

The above rule, introduced by The Rt Hon 'Uncle' Eric Pickles MP, a fan of the Barnet Bloggers, stopped some of the predatory tactics employed by traffic wardens. It meant that if you were up to ten minutes late getting back to your car, as your meeting or whatever ran over, then you could not be given a PCN. The new rule came into force on 6 April 2015.

Mr Mustard asked to see the briefing which had been given to the NSL employed Barnet Council traffic wardens at the time that the new grace period came in. Here it is.

Official briefings really should be on proper paper.

Mr Mustard didn't find that to be a clear explanation of the new grace period but it is useful in other ways.

Firstly the new grace period means that if you have paid for a period of parking, on street or in a car park, or you availed yourself of a free parking period, which ended at 11:00 the earliest you can be given a PCN is 11:11.

Barnet Council have generously decided to not give you a PCN if you are visiting friends who live within a CPZ and the resident bay hours commence at 10:00 you will not be given a PCN before 10:11 (Mr Mustard is sure this is not being applied).

Similarly if you are in a goods vehicle loading bay, or other bay specific to a certain type of vehicle, which commences at 08:00 you will not be given a PCN before 08:11 (Mr Mustard doesn't think this is being applied either).

Blue badge holders who breach the 3 hour limit which sometimes applies now get an extra 10 minutes to get back to their vehicle.

Mr Mustard hopes that is clear. He will be checking all the PCN in his current workload as he can now probably report a few process errors.

You can find the above response on the council website, here, should you need to use it to argue your corner (ref 3278097). Isn't Freedom of Information wonderful. Mr Mustard doesn't ask much nowadays of Barnet Council, probably only one question a month, but they are usually very good ones.

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard

Mr Musatrd is off to put his feet up very shortly, drink champagne and eat too much food until 5 January 2017.